Dear December

Chapter 3

It's the last lesson of the day. Filled to the brim with boredom and unable to find interest listening to a chubby, middle-aged biology teacher discussing the ins and outs of active transport, my fingertips tap a gentle rhythm on my notebook.

The cafeteria was a battleground. I balked for several minutes before I even entered the doors that led straight into the smell of lumpy gravy and watery custard. I let my eyes roam as I stood in the frame. There were approximately three fights dotted around the room, only one of which was physical. The other two consisted of a couple of guys posturing each other and making weird, snake-like movements with their heads, and three girls snapping at each other.

I watched the girls' fight unfold first. Every time one of them spoke, the others would put their hands on their hips and make incredulous facial expressions at one another before leaning in to rebuke.

The two boys who were shoving each other around were starting to attract a crowd. Of that crowd, about seventy-five percent had their phones out, filming the whole commotion while laughing to themselves.

A nauseating block wedged itself in my throat and I swiftly spun around to exit the room. It was fine; I could just eat in the girl's toilet.

I cursed as I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I swore, if there was some douche-canoe trying to pick a fight with me then I was going transfer, no matter how much grovelling in front of my mum it took. When I twisted to look at the person who touched my shoulder, I came face to face with December. Relieved, I took a step back. He smiled at me and his eyes turned up beneath dark lashes. Shadows under his eyes I hadn't noticed before in calculus suddenly seemed quite prominent- I guess it must've been the lighting.

"April," he said, "lucky I bumped into you."

I merely sent a half hearted smile at him- I was still shaken from the amount of commotion occurring around the room.

Looking to the right of me, a lanky boy with skin almost as dark as mine was dad-dancing on the tabletop, encouraged by the discordant clapping of all his friends. December followed my gaze to the boy. Not pausing his dancing, the boy sent us a wink and December laughed.

He started to lead me over to the only reasonably calm table in the cafeteria. On the edge of the plastic dining table, a large girl was perched, taking pictures of a geeky looking, skin-headed guy who was trying to balance a hula hoop on the bridge of his nose. His laughing was making it wobble around; every time it almost fell he would purse his lips in attempt to stifle his amusement.

"4, 3, 2-" A boy sprawled across the table bench opposite was counting down eagerly, eyes glued to the stop watch on his phone.

When he reached the number 'one', the skin-headed boy flicked his chin back to the ceiling and sent the hula hoop sailing into the air before leaning to catch it in his mouth. He grinned through a mouthful of crisps and December sarcastically applauded him, pushing stop-watch boy's legs over to make room for us to sit.

"Everyone," December said, pulling me down beside him, "I'd like you to meet April Adams."

The round girl immediately slid off the table and into the seat opposite me. "Wow! You're so pretty," she told me. A bold first statement- I was flattered. It was probably the second time in my life someone had said that without adding, 'for a black girl,' on the end of it.

I beamed, thanking her before she introduced herself as Enya Bellrosa. She extended her hand towards me, colourful bangles swinging from her tanned forearm. Truly, she was probably the prettiest girl I'd ever seen it my life, and it wasn't even because she had particularly attractive features, even if they definitely weren't ugly. Her brown midriff hung over black, high- waisted jeans and the lilac top she wore cut off at her chest, revealing broad, chubby shoulders. The way she carried herself though, it was as if everyone should wish they looked like her. Confidence oozed off her in waves and made me instantly want to be her.